Read Online A Narrow Margin of Error by Faith Martin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Faith Martin
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flatly.
Vivienne was hungry by the time she made it into the canteen, but didn’t care. She’d been listening out for Steven’s door to open and close all that morning. She knew he often went upstairs late – just as he had today. Now, as she pushed through the door, she saw him standing in line at the food bar and quickly fell in behind him.
She thought for a moment he was going to turn around and acknowledge her, but when he didn’t, she made a great play of reaching out for a tray in the pile nearest to him, letting her hand just brush his arm as she reached past him.
She watched him select a fish and salad option and quickly did the same, although she was not particularly fond of seafood. She ignored the desserts – although if she’d been on her own the chocolate mousse would have been her first port of call, and selected a bottle of mineral water instead.
Vivienne was just a few steps behind him as he stepped out into the main body of the room. She was about to come abreast of him and suggest they find a table together, when he suddenly veered off to the left, and took the last seat available at a table for four. One was a DI from Juvie whom she vaguely recognized , and the other two also had that higher-rank air about them.
A vexed flush flashed across her pretty face as she glanced around forlornly. There were plenty of empty tables this late in the lunchtime stint, so why the hell couldn’t he have sat at any one of them?
Just then, she saw a man sitting at a table for two half rise, and smile at her diffidently, indicating the empty chair in front of him with the air of a man who was expecting her to ignore him. He was obviously making a play, which was much more what she was used to, and, feeling slightly mollified, she walked towards him, her eyes assessing him quickly.
He had a really good body, but he was a bit younger than sheliked. And he was just a humble PC in uniform, too. Small fry for her. But he had really good hair – thick and dark, and his eyes were really pretty hot. She’d never had a man with green eyes before.
‘Hello, I saw the big chief ditch you. The man must be mad,’ Tom Warrington said quietly. ‘Don’t know why you’re wasting your time on him. He must need glasses, if you ask me.’
Not bad for a quick, spur-of-the-moment pick-up line, but she didn’t like to hear someone criticizing Steven.
Vivienne tossed her head. ‘He didn’t realize I was behind him, that’s all,’ she said sharply. ‘Otherwise it would have been different.’ She set her tray down and held out her hand. ‘I’m Vivienne Tyrell.’
Tom grinned and shook her hand. ‘Tom Warrington.’ He glanced at her healthy-option tray and nodded. At least she knew how to treat her body right. Perhaps this wouldn’t have to be so tedious after all.
‘You look too young not to be in the same boat as me,’ he said, patting his uniform with a wry smile.
‘Oh, I’m still a civilian,’ Vivienne said. ‘Just making my mind up whether or not I want to join up. I work for Superintendent Crayle at the CRT.’
‘Wow. I’m impressed,’ Tom lied.
Vivienne preened and picked at the unwanted fish on her plate. ‘It is pretty cool,’ she conceded.
‘Good, is he? To work for? Crayle, I mean. My sarge is a right pain in the arse, I can tell you.’
Vivienne smiled smugly. ‘He’s amazing.’
Tom’s green-eyed gaze flickered. Another female who was gaga over bloody Crayle. He just couldn’t understand what they all saw in him. Suddenly, the need to make contact with Hillary washed over him. To actually feel his arms around her, to hear her voice.
It was dangerous, he knew, but the impulse was almost overwhelming . Soon, he promised himself. Soon.
He forced himself to smile at the girl in front of him, a wide, white-toothed smile. ‘So, tell me all about how things are in CRT,’ he said.
CHAPTER FOUR
T he next morning, Hillary awoke to the sound of a pair of newly arrived
Vivienne was hungry by the time she made it into the canteen, but didn’t care. She’d been listening out for Steven’s door to open and close all that morning. She knew he often went upstairs late – just as he had today. Now, as she pushed through the door, she saw him standing in line at the food bar and quickly fell in behind him.
She thought for a moment he was going to turn around and acknowledge her, but when he didn’t, she made a great play of reaching out for a tray in the pile nearest to him, letting her hand just brush his arm as she reached past him.
She watched him select a fish and salad option and quickly did the same, although she was not particularly fond of seafood. She ignored the desserts – although if she’d been on her own the chocolate mousse would have been her first port of call, and selected a bottle of mineral water instead.
Vivienne was just a few steps behind him as he stepped out into the main body of the room. She was about to come abreast of him and suggest they find a table together, when he suddenly veered off to the left, and took the last seat available at a table for four. One was a DI from Juvie whom she vaguely recognized , and the other two also had that higher-rank air about them.
A vexed flush flashed across her pretty face as she glanced around forlornly. There were plenty of empty tables this late in the lunchtime stint, so why the hell couldn’t he have sat at any one of them?
Just then, she saw a man sitting at a table for two half rise, and smile at her diffidently, indicating the empty chair in front of him with the air of a man who was expecting her to ignore him. He was obviously making a play, which was much more what she was used to, and, feeling slightly mollified, she walked towards him, her eyes assessing him quickly.
He had a really good body, but he was a bit younger than sheliked. And he was just a humble PC in uniform, too. Small fry for her. But he had really good hair – thick and dark, and his eyes were really pretty hot. She’d never had a man with green eyes before.
‘Hello, I saw the big chief ditch you. The man must be mad,’ Tom Warrington said quietly. ‘Don’t know why you’re wasting your time on him. He must need glasses, if you ask me.’
Not bad for a quick, spur-of-the-moment pick-up line, but she didn’t like to hear someone criticizing Steven.
Vivienne tossed her head. ‘He didn’t realize I was behind him, that’s all,’ she said sharply. ‘Otherwise it would have been different.’ She set her tray down and held out her hand. ‘I’m Vivienne Tyrell.’
Tom grinned and shook her hand. ‘Tom Warrington.’ He glanced at her healthy-option tray and nodded. At least she knew how to treat her body right. Perhaps this wouldn’t have to be so tedious after all.
‘You look too young not to be in the same boat as me,’ he said, patting his uniform with a wry smile.
‘Oh, I’m still a civilian,’ Vivienne said. ‘Just making my mind up whether or not I want to join up. I work for Superintendent Crayle at the CRT.’
‘Wow. I’m impressed,’ Tom lied.
Vivienne preened and picked at the unwanted fish on her plate. ‘It is pretty cool,’ she conceded.
‘Good, is he? To work for? Crayle, I mean. My sarge is a right pain in the arse, I can tell you.’
Vivienne smiled smugly. ‘He’s amazing.’
Tom’s green-eyed gaze flickered. Another female who was gaga over bloody Crayle. He just couldn’t understand what they all saw in him. Suddenly, the need to make contact with Hillary washed over him. To actually feel his arms around her, to hear her voice.
It was dangerous, he knew, but the impulse was almost overwhelming . Soon, he promised himself. Soon.
He forced himself to smile at the girl in front of him, a wide, white-toothed smile. ‘So, tell me all about how things are in CRT,’ he said.
CHAPTER FOUR
T he next morning, Hillary awoke to the sound of a pair of newly arrived
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